"Before, when I didn't know there were any strange curses, I didn't think much of it. But now that I'm aware, maybe there really is something… unnatural."

  The weekend wasn't far off, so Ryuji agreed to help Haruno wheime came. As for the "price" of his help, well… let's just say that by the time Ryuji went to school the m, Haruno was still fast asleep, clearly too exhausted to get out of bed that day.

  Today's css was another exam. After all, it had only been one day sihe st one, and the tests weren't finished yet. The results would be posted week, and Yukino and Yumiko seemed excitedly anticipating the day.

  Ryuji simply watched their excitement with an amused smile, saying nothing. He was curious if they'd still feel that way after the results were announced.

  The weekend arrived quickly, and Ryuji kept his promise. He made his way to one of the stru sites owned by the Yukinoshita family. Haruno had something urgent to attend to, so Ryuji was going alone.

  Meanwhile, elsewhere…

  "I'm heading out!" Eriri called as she prepared to leave the house.

  Sayuri, lounging on the sofa, frowned as she took in Eriri's casual outfit.

  "Haven't I taught you better than this? If yoing to meet Ryuji, you should dress up properly. How else are you going to make him notice you?"

  Sayuri always worried about her daughter's ck of effort.

  "No, Mom!" Eriri groaned in frustration. "Ryuji's busy today! It was Shiyu who invited me out!"

  inally, Eriri had wao ask Ryuji out on another date. After their st one had ended in disaster, she had been eager for a do-over. But since Ryuji wasn't avaible, and Shiyu had invited her instead, Eriri agreed.

  "Ah, I see!" Sayuri sighed in disappoi. "You're just going out with irls."

  Such a waste of an opportunity, she thought. She waved Eriri off dismissively.

  "Alright, go on, then."

  "..."

  Eriri shot her mother an irritated look before heading out the door.

  "That girl doesn't know how lucky she is," Sayuri muttered to herself as she watched her daughter leave.

  If she'd had the eet a man as perfect as Ryuji when she was younger, she would have gone for him without hesitation. Unfortunately, it was too te for her now.

  Sayuri had long since accepted the reality of her own marriage. Ever since Eriri was born, her father, Spencer, had been stationed abroad as a diplomat. The real reason, of course, was that Spencer's first love lived in that try. Sayuri khis, but she didn't care.

  Their marriage was never about love to begin with. Back then, the Sawamura family had faced a crisis, and her marriage to Spencer had been a means to save the family. Sayuri had used her charm to win over Spencer, who came from a wealthy background.

  That's why she ter moved away from the Sawamura family and became determined not to use Eriri for any arranged marriage. Her own marriage was already a mess, and she would never allow her daughter to gh the same thing.

  "Hah…"

  Thinking ba it now, Sayuri felt like her mi had ged a lot over the years. She took a deep breath and calmed down. At least her life wasn't so bad now—she lived peacefully with Eriri, and Spencer could stay with his first love for all she cared.

  Just as Sayuri was deg whether to wate ahe doorbell rang.

  "Hmm? Is Eriri back already?"

  She was always fetting things, so it wouldn't be surprising if she returned.

  Sayuri didn't think much of it as she made her way to the door. But when she saas standing there, she froze.

  "Why are you here?"

  The man at the door was her than Spencer, Eriri's father.

  But Spencer, who had once been a well-dressed, handsome man, now looked like a mess. He had a scruffy beard, dark circles under his eyes, and a gaunt frame.

  "What happeo you? Did something happen with your first love?"

  Sayuri's question was half i, but Spencer's silence said it all.

  "Ah…"

  Sayuri was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected that guess to be correct.

  "So, what are you pnning to do now?" she asked.

  Even though she had no feelings for Spencer anymore, he was still Eriri's father. She wasn't about to throw him out.

  "I just came to grab a few things… and to leave a gift for Eriri," Spencer finally said. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time.

  "A gift for Eriri? Alright, e in."

  Hearing that it was for her daughter, Sayuri let him inside.

  Spencer quickly packed up some belongings and a few valuable items. It was obvious that he inteo sell them off to pay some debts. Though Sayuri noticed, she didn't say anything. Those were things he had bought long ago, and she had never used them.

  After a bit of pag, Spencer pced a small cy fox figurine oable.

  "What's this?" Sayuri asked, skeptical. "Is this supposed to be the gift?"

  The doll looked like something you'd pick out of a trash bin.

  "Don't uimate it," Spencer said, his voice suddenly serious. "I got this from a temple overseas. It's supposed t pead prote. Keep it here, and it will safeguard Eriri."

  Spencer knew how to get Sayuri's attention. And sure enough, anythied to her daughter immediately made Sayuri take things more seriously.

  "..."

  Even though the doll looked a little shabby, as long as it could protect Eriri, that was enough for her.

  "Fine, just leave it here."

  The vil was big enough otle doll wouldn't take up much space. Although she did wonder why something from a temple would be in the shape of a fox instead of a Buddha or a monk.

  "I'll be leaving now," Spencer said abruptly, as if in a hurry to get out.

  "..."

  Why was he in such a rush? Whatever, Sayuri thought. It's better if he leaves anyway less of an eyesore.

  Once Spencer was gone, Sayuri didn't return to the sofa. Instead, she headed to her room to pick out a ic to read.

  She had initially started reading manga to have something in on with Eriri, but over time, she had grown to enjoy it herself.

  As she walked away, she didn't notice the faint red glow that began to flicker in the eyes of the small cy fox figurine oable.

  Meanwhile…

  Spencer didn't go far after leaving the vil. His once gaunt faow twisted into a grotesque and sinister expression.

  "Soon… Mary, you will be resurrected soon!"

  Mary was the name of Spencer's first love. Just as Sayuri had guessed, Mary had retly died in a tragic act. This twisted love had ed Spencer's heart.

  "The fox spirit said that if it absorbs my daughter's vitality, it trahat energy to Mary…" Spencer's eyes glinted with a light red glow as he tio mutter to himself.

  "Just wait, Mary. You'll be back soon!"

  His mind was clearly uhe influence of the so-called "fox spirit," and now Spencer's heart was pletely ed by it. He was willing to sacrifice his daughter just t his long-dead first love back to life.

  ---

  "Is this the pce?" Ryuji asked himself as he arrived at one of the Yukinoshita family's stru sites. There weren't any workers around.

  Acc to Haruno, this was the site where the most acts had happened. While other sites had the occasional mishap, here, acts occurred nearly every day. It wasn't normal.

  All work oe had stopped, and the area had been cordoned off to keep people away.

  After taking a quick look around, Ryuji didn't notiything unusual at first. He simply stepped over the barrier and walked into the site.

  "Hmm?"

  The moment his foot hit the ground, Ryuji se.

  "There's some serious cursed energy here."

  From the outside, it was invisible. But as soon as you stepped in, the overwhelming cursed energy became apparent.

  "Special grade," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. The level of cursed energy here had to be at the special grade. No wohings had been going wrong.

  Haruno's hunch had been right there was definitely something sinister here.

  Ign the oppressive atmosphere, Ryuji tinued walking deeper into the stru site. The further he went, the heavier the cursed energy felt.

  "This is getting iing."

  Ryuji smirked, feeling a sense of excitement build inside him.

  Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps and a faint yelp.

  "A girl?"

  Ryuji was a bit surprised. Could there be another sorcerer here?

  Following the noise, he turned a er and saw a girl holding her head, trembling and screaming.

  "Ahhhh!"

  "..."

  Ryuji raised an eyebrow, watg the girl panic as she tio wail.

  "What a loud voice," he muttered to himself, slightly amused by the se.

  "G-ghost! There's a ghost!" the girl shouted, clutg her head even tighter.

  Without hesitation, Ryuji raised his hand and lightly knocked her on the head.

  "Stop screaming. Even if there were a ghost, it would've run off by now with how loud you're being."

  "Ah!"

  The girl rubbed her head, blinking in fusion as the pain snapped her out of her hysteria. Slowly, she looked up at Ryuji, realization dawning on her face.

  "Wait… you're not a ghost?"

  "Have you ever seen a ghost this handsome?" Ryuji asked, half-joking as he looked at her with a smirk.

  *****

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